Windows Virtual PC and Win XP Mode RC – now available

Microsoft is pleased to announce the availability of Windows Virtual PC and Windows XP mode Release Candidate. RC is an important milestone in our path to final delivery of Windows Virtual PC and Windows XP Mode.

Please make sure to read the Release Notes and the Installation Guide before installing. Also please note that a Beta to RD upgrade is not supported. You must uninstall the Beta before installing the RC product binaries.

Here are just a few highlights for the product:

Manage USB devices with virtual applications: You canattach and detach USB devices while running virtual applications. The USB device management UI can be easily accessed form the right click context menu of the Virtual Applications icon, on task bar.

Jump list for virtual applications: Right clicking on the virtual application icon, on Windows 7 taskbar, displays a jump list that allows one to easily launch virtual applications from the taskbar.

Drive share settings: You can select the host computer drives that you would like to share with the virtual machine; in the virtual machine settings.

What I would really like is to be able to use a printer like a published application. Even though it would take much longer to print, I wouldn’t have to have XP on my brand new computer just so I can print pictures (yes, I am too cheap to buy a new printer).

I have to say I am very impressed with how it works seemlessly having the applications installed on the Virtual PC accessible directly from the Win7 Task Bar is great.

I do a lot of development for a leading UK Bank and they still use SQL Server 2000 which struggles to run on Windows 7 or Vista. Now I can run it in XP Mode and it’s like running it natively. Brilliant!

A couple of issues do exist though, when I first started the XP Mode applications like SQL Enterprise Manager and Query Analyser they opened in my right hand display with the top half of the application missing. I run a dual monitor display, the right hand display is oriented in portrait mode and my left hand display is in landscape. It appears as if XP Mode apps are trying to start centred across the two displays, because the top of the left hand display is lower than the right hand display, the right hand display seems to truncate the top of the application Window level with the top edge of the left hand one??

I managed to get out of it by pressing ALT + Spacebar to get the Control menu to pop up and then I couldresize the Window so that I could see the top half of the application.

This needs sorting as I expect a non-technical user probably wouldn’t know how to get out of that one?

I also had to remove my existing Virtul PC 2007 installation in order to install the new version. I am now struggling to figure out how I import the Virtual PC 2007 VMC files into the new Virtual PC? Is this possible, if not how do you get to your old virtual machines??

I can see how to create a new Virtual PC but it seems to want to create a new file rather than offering you to open an existing VHD or VMC??

Hi Keith, With regard to getting my usb scanner to work (it works in 32 bit vista but not 64 bit vista) works like a treat in xp mode. I was concerned as win7 doesn’t recognize the device but xp mode picks it up no problem. Thanks

Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit (build 7100). There’s no driver support for my Epson Perfection 1650 in any way, shape or form. W7 does recognize it, however. But with no drivers, there is no love. Now enter Windows Virtual PC coupled with Windows XP Mode. BAM! My 10-year-old scanner is back in action! Thank you, Microsoft!